Monday Morning Cheerleader: Courtney of the Ravens

Also: the problem with replacement refs. And the heroism of Torrey Smith.

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Week Three's Sunday Night Football game might not have been up for an Emmy, and that's because even the Homeland guys can't write drama like this. After a day that saw Bountygate continue to take its toll on the Saints, and RG3 continue to shine in a loss, and the Cardinals move to 3-0, the most dramatic four hours of the day concluded well after said awards show. Post-midnight, it was the Patriots falling on the wrong end of a game-winning field goal once again, this time in Baltimore, where five-year veteran Ravens cheerleader Courtney stayed up late to talk comebacks, sob stories, replacement refs, and more.

LINDSAY McCORMICK, The Esquire.com: AFC Championship part two out there. Did it feel like the playoffs all over again?

COURTNEY, The Ravens: The excitement was crazy! It was a home game for us, and it felt like we needed to redeem ourselves. And both teams were coming off of a loss, so we knew they would be really looking to get that win. It's always a great game when we play the Patriots and Tom Brady, but it was definitely a great redemption for us.

COURT: We always go in a minute before the game ends and pack up our things, so we were sprinting in to watch the last seconds on TV. On television it looked like he missed the field goal, because it was so close. And I thought to myself, Oh, no! Here we go again.

LM: With the death of the younger brother that he raised, Torrey Smith had a lot on his mind. But he still chose to be on the field, and helped his team with two crucial catches for touchdowns — one that brought the Ravens within two points. How much did that mean to you guys?

COURT: The most exciting part was the fans and how they chanted, Torr-ey, Torr-ey throughout the game. When they showed him on the Jumbotron, he had his finger in the air and you could tell it was for his brother. Even at the beginning of the game, they had a moment of silence. I still can't believe he even played in this game.

LM: Flacco's new go-to guy, Dennis Pitta, had the first score of the night for a tight end and even had a spin move on the catch while leaping over Steven Gregory on his way to the goal line. Where did this guy come from?

COURT: All of our offense, in general, is playing more as a unit. They've been more consistent. So Pitta has gotten open and become available and Flacco will see him right away. Joe's a lot quicker in his motions, which is the reason he goes to Pitta a lot.

LM: Harbaugh emphasized the run early to then open up the passing game. Is that why your offense was so successful after a rough second half last week?

COURT: Yeah, Harbaugh is great at making those type of calls. Ray Rice is great, and Harbaugh loves to use him, but if the plays aren't working, and if he's not getting up the field, then he gets Flacco to make those passes.

LM: Like I said, though, that Eagles game was tough on your quarterback. Is Flacco the top QB in the league, as he's claimed, or even an elite quarterback?

COURT: He's getting more consistent. When he first started, he would have really great games and really bad games. Of course he's going to get the most criticism, but you can tell he's getting more confident with this offense, and in motivating them. He's definitely in the top five, and it's just the beginning of the season, so you never know what will happen. By the end of the season, he could be number one. We get a little closer to the Super Bowl every year anyway.

LM: Which two teams do you see in the AFC Championship this season? Rematch?

COURT: Well, the Steelers lost this week. That's always a good game, even though I'm not a fan of the Steelers whatsoever. And it's the same way with the Patriots. I love games like this Sunday-night game, where it is that close. So it would be great to see Patriots versus Ravens again. And then we can redeem ourselves one more time!

LM: Hopefully by that time we'll have real referees, too. Flacco has come out now and said that the replacement refs are "affecting the integrity of the game." Agree? What are they doing out there for so long — eating a snack?

COURT: Definitely! You could tell they looked flustered and they weren't together. The games have been taking a lot longer than usual. These games are meant for TV, and now they are dragging along while they try to figure out calls and then take touchdowns back. The games are now three-and-a-half and four hours long, and the refs are making awful choices and going back and forth. We need to get the lockout straightened out and get the real refs back in there.

Lindsay McCormick (pictured at left) has covered the NFL for ESPN The Magazine and CBS. She is the former host of "The Fan" on Comcast SportsNet, where she was the sideline reporter for the Portland Trail Blazers. And she'll be back right here on The Culture Blog every week with Monday Morning Cheerleader. Stay tuned for more from Tom Chiarella on Monday Night Football, Jeremy Schaap and Rachel Nichols on the little big profile (this week: Gronk), and more. Also: beer.